How to Become an Electrician in Highland Kansas
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Highland KS. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For example, some students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Highland KS
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Highland KS. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Kansas trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by Kansas community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Kansas institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Highland KS can perform a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Highland KS
An option that you may have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Highland KS are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Highland KS region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Highland KS school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Highland KS graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Highland KS area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Highland KS electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Highland residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Highland KS, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Highland KS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Highland KS area.
Highland, Kansas
Highland is located at 39°51′36″N 95°16′1″W / 39.86000°N 95.26694°W / 39.86000; -95.26694 (39.860042, -95.266816).[11] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.53 square miles (1.37 km2), all land.[1]
At the 2010 census,[2] there were 1,012 people, 296 households and 155 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,909.4 inhabitants per square mile (737.2/km2). There were 372 housing units at an average density of 701.9 per square mile (271.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.7% White, 10.0% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.
There were 296 households of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.6% were non-families. 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.94.
Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Highland KS
Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Highland KS.
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